Noughts and Crosses
by Dark Days
Summary: Naruto is a nought, a second class citizen in a world run by Crosses. Sasuke is a Cross, and Naruto's best friend. Can they find a way to be together, when it is simply not allowed? SasuNaru NaruSasu Yaoi.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the book Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman, nor am I making any profit from the writing of _this_ story. Neither do I own any part of Naruto, created by Masashi Kishimoto, and once again I am not making a profit. In fact I'm advertising! Everyone buy Noughts and Crosses and watch Naruto! Thank youuu! 

This fiction will not contain much, if any, Japanese. This is an _English_ story, set in Britain for one thing, and I don't want to confuse anyone by including any Japanese.

Noughts and Crosses Prologue 

Tsunade Uzumaki stood outside the Uchiha mansion, looking at the two children playing rather roughly with each other. Naruto, her son, was play-fighting with her employer's little boy, Sasuke. She liked watching them, they were so innocent, not yet old enough to know the truth about the world they lived in.

"And then, he hisses to Aburame, 'That's not the prostitute, that's my wife!'" Mikoto Uchiha collapsed into helpless giggles, recounting the antics of the people at the social parties she frequented. Tsunade couldn't help but laugh along. Despite being as rich and posh as they came, Mikoto was a one and no mistake.

"You crack me up sometimes, Mrs Uchiha. What would your husband say?" At the mention of Fugaku Uchiha, the atmoshphere went somewhat frosty, but Tsunade knew it wasn't directed at her.

"He wouldn't approve, of course… But I don't mind, seeing as we're so close, Tsunade." Mikoto looked wistful for a second before smiling brightly. Fake brightly. Tsunade hated seeing the expression twist her pretty face into something plastic and unreal, so she let her gaze fall onto the children again.

A faint strain of, "Uchiha's don't hug…" met her ears, but Naruto proceeded to jump tackle Sasuke anyway. A more natural smile lit up Mikoto's eyes.

"Mrs Uchiha! Mrs Uchiha!" Temari Sabaku came tearing out of the house, her blonde hair streaming behind her.

"What is it, Temari? Tsunade and myself were in the middle of a conversation." Mikoto sounded slightly annoyed at the intrusion.

"Your husband has arrived, Mrs Uchiha. He is waiting in the lounge." It was as if talking of Fugaku had dragged him forcefully towards them. He returned home only once a month, and nearly every time a fight ensued. Tsunade learnt to dread the days he actually made an appearance. Nothing good ever happened.

"I will go and see him now Tema- Oh, Fugaku, _darling,_" Temari and Tsunade had never heard an endearment sounding so forced.

Fugaku Uchiha completely ignored his wife, and instead focused on a wary Tsunade. "So… did you have a good time last night?" He too was faking a smile. It seemed Uchihas did that a lot.

Tsunade was nonplussed, but not about to show it. "Oh yes, it was nice. Quite calm you know." Fugaku seemed furious under his obviously false smile, it reminded Tsunade of her husband, Jiraiya whenever he went into one of his 'Crosses deserve to die,' tirades. They happened a lot in the Uzumaki household. Sometimes Jiraiya went as far as to make inaccurate judges of the future.

'What if Akatsuki made a poison gas that only affected Crosses, not noughts?' 'What if all noughts united, and overthrew the Crosses?'

What if, what if, what if. Tsunade didn't have time for what ifs. They were unattainable, unreachable and depressing, because you knew that it would never happen.

"Yeah," said Fugaku, snapping Tsunde out of her daydreams, "I always like a nice night in with the family." There was definitely something weird going on here. There was a strange intensity in the Uchiha's eyes, and Mikoto was looking at her like she was supposed to be doing something. She just didn't know _what._

"Yes, of course. Nothing better than having some time alone with your family…" Fugaku seemed to have all the information he needed. He turned around and faced his wife, an expression of ice cold anger on his handsome face, before slapping Mikoto, making her head knock back onto the wall of her house.

Tsunade's mouth opened in a nearly inaudible gasp, and she started forward, as if to stop what had already happened. Fugaku turned on his heel and marched back into the house, muttering about 'cheating bitches' and 'ungratefulness'.

The truth hit Tsunade like a ton of bricks. Mikoto had been unfaithful. _Mikoto had been unfaithful._ She had obviously used her best friend as some sort of alibi, only she had been too blind, too stupid to see it, until it was too late.

Tsunade raised her hand to touch her friend's cheek, but it was slapped away. She tried again, but the same thing happened. She was confused. She was a fully-qualified nurse, what was Mikoto playing at?

"I'm trying to help you," Tsunade tried, kneeling down next to her employer.

"When I needed your help, you didn't give it," hissed Mikoto, edging away from Tsunade. Temari stood frozen in the background, as if she didn't believe any of this had happened. "Go back into the house, Temari. And you, go back to work." And then she got up and stalked into the house.

Tsunade looked at Naruto and Sasuke once more. They seemed to be tired out, leaning against a tree, their arms wrapped tightly around each other. They looked so innocent and happy, they were truly the best of friends.

"What if they could be friends forever?" whispered Tsunade, before she herself returned to the mansion.

Jiraiya walked into his bedroom, only to see his depressed wife sewing patches into their eldest son Deidara's school trousers. There were more patches than original material now, they'd had to be repaired so often.

"You're making a big deal out of nothing, Tsunie," he sighed.

"You weren't there, you don't know how angry they both were… And don't call me Tsunie!" Jiraiya playfully pushed his wife, who swatted him over the head with her inhuman strength.

"Ouch," Jiraiya sniffed. "I think you got me with the needle." Tsunade just shook her head.

"Awww, do you want me to kiss it better?" she mocked, returning to her son's uniform. "Now leave, and let me worry in peace."

Jiraiya sighed once more. "Listen, nothing's going to happen. You need to stop being so pessimistic." Only after the words left his mouth did he realise how stupid he sounded. They were noughts, the glass was always half empty in their lives.

"The glass is always half empty," Tsunade smiled, reading her husband's mind. "It's not our fault we have pale skin and hair. It's just one of those things we have to get used to."

"I know that," growled Jiraiya. "I have to resort to writing my Icha Icha novels about _Crosses_ at times. It makes me sick. They don't buy them when they include noughts. I have to sell those on the Black Market."

"I know, I know. It's unfair. But please… There is nothing we can do." And I'll be damned if I let you join Akatsuki, thought Tsunade vehemently.

The phone rang, interrupting her train of thought, and she answered it with trepidation. No one rang this late at night.

"Hello? Who's speaking, please?"

"Hello Tsuande… This is Temari. I'm afraid I have some bad news…" Her voice trailed off. Tsunade felt her stomach drop. Catching the anxious look in Jiraiya's eyes certainly didn't help either.

"Please tell me, Temari," she replied fiercely. Whatever the news was, she wanted it out in the open as soon as possible. None of that procrastinating that Temari seemed so fond of.

"I'm so sorry, but Mrs Uchiha has decided that she is no longer in need of you services… She will send you your latest cheque and give you excellent references."

Tsunade swallowed deeply in her throat. She had been expecting this, but it was still a shock. She should have known something awful would happen, she had had a small win on a scratch card yesterday. "So… I have the sack?"

"I'm so sorry Tsunie." Her tone dropped. "Between you and me, I think it's awfully unfair. Mrs Uchiha is being very immature about this." And in Temari's books, it was okay to tell her sometimes friend this. Because they were 'the same'. Both inferior, both less than the Crosses with their rich dark hair and eyes. Both the outsiders. Tsunade often wanted to laugh, and almost did. Almost. Because she always reminded herself of her situation, and she knew there was nothing to laugh about.

"It's okay, Temari. Thanks for telling me." Her voice was soft and wavering slightly. "Go home to Gaara and Kankurou, Temari." And she put the phone down.

Jiraiya was fuming once more, his eyes hard and unforgiving. But that was okay. He could be angry enough for the both of them. She had to consider the future now.

"Deidara won't be able to go to school anymore," she noted sadly. Her eldest son was going to go mad when he found out… He was already had a screw loose, this was going to throw him off kilter even more. As much as it pained her to admit it, Deidara was a psychopath, but he hid it well under his beautiful blonder hair, angelic attitude and sparkling blue eyes.

"Oh God DAMNIT!" shouted Jiraiya, slamming his fist down on their bedside table. It seemed he too knew the consequences of this little redundancy. "We'll have to find a way to pay for his schooling, Tsunie," he said determinedly.

"Don't call me Tsunie! And pay with what?? The pound coins that are falling off the money tree outside?? We have nothing, Jiraiya. He can't go anymore."

"You'll get another job, Tsunie… We'll get by."

"Your optimism is ridiculous. Mrs Uchiha will not just stand by while I get another job with one of her associates. And we're barely surviving as it is." Her tone was calm cold and collected. She didn't even bother to reprimand him about the 'Tsunie' jab.

"Oh God…" Jiraiya, for the first time that night, seemed fully aware of the implications of Mrs Uchiha's actions. 

"So now you see." She put down her long abandoned sewing and embraced her husband. For once his hands didn't wander as he hugged her back. They stood like that for a long time. The room was so silent they could hear the sounds of Deidara's and Naruto's breathing upstairs.

"We're buggered, Jiraiya," remarked Tsunade at long last.

"I know… I'll just have to write more Icha Icha on top of work."

"That won't be enough," her expression hardened as she pulled herself out of her husband's arms and shrugged on her coat.

"What are you doing?" said Jiraiya sharply. He knew his wife too well, and didn't like what she planned to do.

"I'm going to see her, to ask for my job back. I'll beg if I have to." She sounded so determined that Jiraiya just nodded and waved his hand. He watched her leave the house. Nothing good was going to come of this.

Two hours later, Tsunade was back.

And that was the night Ino disappeared.

**A/N**: I realise that I gave them the family name Uzumaki… This is because Deidara, Tsunade and Jiraiya don't appear to HAVE last names… So really, I'm only _changing_ one surname. R&R? (I have sweeties for all xD).


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Although I said I wouldn't include much Japanese, I think I'll keep the –kun, -chan, -niichan, aniki, etc. I just think it's rather nice. This chapter is a little bit lime-ish I suppose. A _little_ bit. And I can't help but make Sasuke uke-ish. –Shot- I know, I know, it's just my own basic needs :P. I see them as equal anyway. On to the story!

Chapter 1 

**Sasuke**

I shifted my body, trying to get comfortable in the warm sand. I hate the beach, no matter how hard you try, sand always manages to get in your food, and when you finally escape home, you find tiny grains in parts of your anatomy you'd rather not think about. I'll never know why Naruto likes it so much here, but I'll suffer it for him. Complaining and grousing all the way, of course, but I'll bear it.

I turned my head towards the blonde sitting next to me and smiled slightly. It probably came off as a smirk of some sort, but I tried.

"Can I kiss you?"

The pretence of a smile completely dropped off my face. "Excuse me?"

"Can I kiss you?"

"But… Why?" I probably sounded like an idiot, but I was confused. Why would anyone want to do something so unsanitary?

"I want to know what it's like," he stated as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

"We're both boys, Naruto," I replied coldly. That really should settle the matter; it's unnatural and wrong. Every book I've ever read clearly states that anything sexual should take place between a man and a woman. So, I was at perfect liberty to deny his request. I nodded, as if to add conviction to my argument.

"So? I don't care. Besides, who's going to find out?" Damn him and his twisted logic. And he had his pleading look on, making his eyes look big and very blue. "Please?" he pushed.

"Urgh, fine then. But if I get any of your disgusting germs, I'm not speaking to you for the rest of the week."

He smiled, not one of his fake grins that he threw to ward off any bullying Crosses, but his real one. The one that he only ever showed to the people closest to him. I found myself thinking that he should smile like that a lot more.

He kneeled next to me, looking a bit unsure of himself. He put his hands on my shoulder and then his nose wrinkled up. "Which way do you want to tilt your head?" he asked.

My face must have been a picture. "I don't know, it's not like I've ever done this before!" I sighed heavily. "Sometimes you are such a dead-last, Naruto."

"Don't call me that, Sasuke-bastard! And tilt your head to the right, that's where I feel more comfortable." He proceeded to tilt his head to his right. I tilted mine to _my_ right.

"Hurry up, Naruto, before my neck starts aching!" He leaned forwards, and licked his lips. "Wipe your mouth, you filthy cretin. You're not touching my mouth with your saliva." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and apologised.

I kept my lips closed. What was I supposed to do with them? Being an Uchiha, I should have done some research on this or something. Looked up kissing on the Internet. But how sad is that? And besides, Itachi always browses through my Internet History, the bastard. He's even put a lock on it, so I can't delete it beforehand. So, what to do with my mouth?

"Get on with it, dead-last." The extra waiting time was making me the slightest bit nervous, although it didn't show. And then his head was leaning forward again. I tried to keep my eyes on him, but I felt like they were going crossed so I closed them. Tentatively our lips touched. It wasn't exactly like what I was expecting. Naruto's mouth was full and warm, a bit chapped from the sea breeze, but it wasn't unpleasant. I pressed my mouth back a bit harder against his. But then his tongue touched mine.

I drew back immediately, my eyes snapping open. "You're not supposed to do that!" I said, rather angrily. "Our spit will mix, and then I'll get some sort of disease that has been laying dormant in your mouth since birth, thus making you immune, and then I'll probably become extremely ill and-."

"Shut up, Sasuke!" I immediately ceased my babbling. This was completely out of character for me. I was usually calm and collected, not letting any emotion show, but Naruto always managed to get a rise out of me.

He drew me into a hug and I relaxed against his warm body. He whispered in my ear, his lips brushing against my neck. I fought down a shiver. What was happening to me? "Spits are supposed to mix, Sasuke-bastard." And without further ado, he was kissing me again. Naruto's mouth gently opened mine, and once again he slipped his tongue inside.

This time I didn't draw back. I started moving mine back the same way, my arms sliding up his back to cling to his neck, bringing our mouths closer. My stomach was flip-flopping all over the place, and little sparks of pleasure were making their way down my spine. I was pushing myself further and further into his lap, without even realising it on a fully conscious level.

He pushed me down onto the sand gently, still kissing me with a strange fervour that I didn't really understand. Our bodies were perfectly aligned, Naruto was completely on top of me. And then he ground his hips down into me. I gasped, a breathy moan escaping me, only to be swallowed up by his mouth. I could feel the rumble of his own pleasurable groan in his throat, as he continued to push his hips forward. My mind was in a dizzy rush of pleasure, incoherent thoughts whirling around, my only focus to thrust back into him with as much passion as I could muster.

His hand slipped under my top, and the brush of his skin on mine brought me to my senses. "Stop," I rasped, breathing heavily. "Naruto, stop." He opened his eyes, they were glazed and a dark, lusty blue. I pushed his chest a little bit, and he seemed to wake up a bit. His eyes got their focus back, and returned to their normal sky colour.

"Well… that was different." He adopted a lopsided half-smirk while I frowned, still trying to catch my breath. He rose off of me, brushing off his dark orange hoodie, trying to remove all the sand granules that were sure to have permeated his entire being. He ran a hand through his hair, a small shower of sand falling from the blond locks. He lifted his head, his hair hanging in his face, obscuring the view of his eyes. I felt a strange urge to push it out of the way.

I resisted this urge.

"That was wrong," I mumbled. "Boys aren't supposed to do that with each other. It's going against nature, completely, utterly wrong." Who was I trying to convince, Naruto or myself?

"If it's so wrong, Sasuke, why did it feel so good?" His mouth was twisted into an expression I'd never seen on him before. He started biting his bottom lip. I still couldn't see his eyes.

I had no answer to his question. He straightened up, and brushed his hair back from his eyes. I leaned over and tidied it up a bit. He smiled gratefully and straightened the collar of my Uchiha shirt. I have about a hundred of them? Father insists. He wants to everybody to know I'm the son of the Deputy Prime Minister, when truthfully, I couldn't give a shit. And it's quite annoying when random girls see the symbol on the back, see my face and decide they're in love with me. I have a _fanclub. _How sad is that? Naruto still hoots with laughter every time some freak grabs onto my arm.

"You've never kissed anyone before, have you?" I rolled my eyes. And I'd actually thought he'd leave it alone. Should have known better. When Naruto is interested in something, he sticks to it like shit to a blanket. Crude I know, but a rather fitting analogy. Not that he looks like shit, he's actually really good-looking but uhh…

"Sasuke?"

"You know I haven't," I snap.

I could have sworn a look of relief flashed across his face, but it was gone so quickly I must have imagined it. Wishful thinking maybe? Pfft.

"Hmm, me neither."

"Why did you kiss me, Naruto?" I arranged my face into a deadly serious expression.

"Well…" he replied, drawing out the sound. "You're my best friend, right? And if you can't kiss your best friend, who can you kiss? Besides, I wouldn't trust anyone else with my mouth. They'd infect it or something." He actually shuddered. I really couldn't figure out if he was lying. Then again, he refuses to use public toilets, he won't leave a bathroom without using soap, he would rather die than use someone else's toothbrush… Okay, he's a total hygiene freak. But then, why would he want to swap spit with me? God, he's so confusing at times… People may think he's an open book, but with so many pages he's incredibly hard to read accurately. I consider myself one of the few who can.

I really need to stop getting distracted. Naruto started waving his hand in front of my eyes. I reached out and caught it effortlessly. I turned to him and his face breaks into a small smile.

He looks out over the sea, admiring it for all its blue beauty. I've always hated the beach, but we own it. All four miles of it. Nobody owns the sea. I hate a lot of things, but I can't honestly say the sea is on the list. Besides, it reminds me of the only friend I have. Stormy, wild, free… And his eyes are the same colour. Go figure.

"I hate the whole world. I hate the people, I hate the colours, I hate the sea, I hate the sky, I hate the buildings…" Naruto's harsh voice snapped me out of my reverie as he jumped up and began pacing. My eyes widened.

"…But do you know what I hate the most? I hate the smell. Can you smell it, Sasuke? The smell of corruption, the smell of evil, the smell of power. It's all coming from there, Sasuke. From your house. From Fugaku and Mikoto and Itachi. I can smell it radiating out like some sort of signal, like it's saying, 'We're better than you, you're nothing.' The malevolence, the sin, the decay... The death, the destuction, the blood…"

I just stood there watching. I hated it when Kyuubi came out. I looked into the reddish tinted eyes and there was nothing there. Not a speck of humanity, compassion or life.

"Don't you ever want to just fly away, Sasuke? Just fly away from the greed, the selfishness… Just me and you? Away from nought and Crosses. Away from light and dark. Away from everything." He was gazing deep into me by then, as if he could see every little fear, every hope, every doubt. His eyes had returned to normal, but they were bluer than usual… Filled with want, with need, with… love.

I grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug. Truth be told, I didn't know what else to do. Naruto's condition is so rare there is nothing that can stop it or control it. Except physical affection. I thank God every day Kyuubi only rears his head once in a blue moon.

I could feel Naruto coughing behind me, and then the gentle splatter of blood hitting the sand. Like his body was cleansing itself of the evil that is Kyuubi. I hoped none of it was going in my hair.

After a few minutes he pulled away, wiping his mouth. He sent a thankful smile in my direction and I whispered, "There is nowhere to go, Naruto. Here is everywhere." It was nearly inaudible but I knew he heard.

"I know." His reply was just as quiet. "Shall we get started on this Maths then?" he asked, cheerfully changing the subject. Damn that grin, that fake grin. He should know by now he doesn't have to put on any mask with me. He must have seen my look of annoyance as he quickly removed it from his face. He sighed and sat back down, taking his Maths book out of his bag.

"So Teach… Teach!" I scowled at his little jibe. He'd already gotten into my school, why was he still studying. Besides, I hated Maths. Not that I wasn't top in the year or anything at it, but seriously… boring. And it's Pythagoras' Theorem as well. Which means drawing loads of little triangles. Great.

"For Diagram A you need to find the length of the hypotenuse by using the formula c2 equals a2 plus b2…" I was wrong. Maths wasn't boring. It was absolutely _somniferous_. And it was Naruto's favourite subject. He acts pretty dense, but he has one of the most logical brains I've ever come across. He's the sort of person who could be an amazing war strategist. I've watched him solve a Sudoku in about thirty seconds.

…His family can't afford much, so he spends all his time doing puzzles. He's still pretty dense though. He's easily distracted and has the lamest comebacks I've ever heard. Which works well in my favour. When he starts mouthing off about astrology and the like, I'm completely outclassed, which is hard for me to admit. I feel satisfied that I can beat him in almost everything else though.

"How do you find the length of the short side in Diagram F?"

"Use the same formula but take away the other length from the hypotenuse and find the square root."

"Thanks."

"Hn."

"Stoic bastard."

"…Hn."

Our arguments are always the same. Either the both of us shouting insults back and for, or Naruto calling me a bastard and me replying with a grunt just to annoy him.

Fun.

"Right, I'm done." Naruto closed the book and handed it back to me.

"Keep it, I have about four of the same at home." Really, I do.

Naruto gave me a funny look. "Um… Why?"

I honestly have no idea. I decided not to answer.

"SASUKE! SASUKE! IT'S TIME TO COME IN NOW!" Oh great, now Mother was calling me. She always makes the noise of an express train, when it's just not needed. Many a time I've been woken up in the morning with my ears ringing and my fingers itching to strangle the woman next to me.

"Coming now, Mother!" I called, at the _correct_ volume. But I didn't really want to go home. Naruto's house is way more interesting. "Hey, Naruto, can I come to your place? I could just tell Mother and-."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Sasuke." His voice is unnaturally cold, _unnecessarily _cold."

"Hn. Is this about Ino, because-." I cut myself off. I knew how touchy Naruto was about the subject of his sister, and I didn't really fancy having him in a mood with me. He normally ends up throwing punches and I feel obligated to retaliate. Which is too troublesome. Oh great, now I sound like that lazy sod, Shikamaru.

"I'll be off then," said Naruto, his eyes shifting a bit. He ran off without saying another word, and I felt a bit saddened seeing my best friend sprinting away like that. From me.

I walked sedately into my house, aiming straight for my room, but Mother caught my arm first. I tore it out of her grasp and gave her a death glare. She's been on the receiving end so many times, but it still makes her shudder a bit. She's so weak.

"You're to stay up in your room and study for the rest of the night," she commanded, trying to force some conviction in her voice. I knew Father had put her up to this. And most probably Itachi had a part in it as well.

"Very well," I answered, coldly. I sneered down at her and continued walking up the stairs. I went past Itachi's room on the way, and couldn't resist popping in to annoy him.

"Hello, 'Tachi." I always call him that, because it annoys him, even if he doesn't let on. His face is always this cold frozen mask, but his eyebrow twitches whenever I abbreviate his name. Or call him Weasel. Which I do frequently. Come to think of it, I never address him by his actual name.

"…Hello, otouto." Wow, he actually replied. Usually, I'm honoured with a slight glance. He must be in an extra good mood today. I ventured into his lair further. He got up and _flicked my forehead!_ It's the most irritating thing in the world. "Get out of my room now, I don't want you tainting my air."

Goddamn him. A curse on all his future generations.

He pushed me none-too-gently into the corridor before peering at me over the rim of his glasses. I could have sworn he was going to attack me, but he left it at that and disappeared back into the 'darkness'. I think my older brother is some sort of bat hybrid. I barely ever see him in the cold light of day.

My forehead was still stinging at that point, but I didn't really care. Naruto had actually kissed me, and for some reason I was feeling uncharacteristically happy.

**A/N**: I wanted to leave it there, my friendlings… I can't believe I wrote about three thousand words, it is very unlike me. There was just a lot to be said in this chapter, I suppose.

Now I shall beg for reviews, like the desperate little wench I am… Please review, I beseech you all, you wonderful people, you!

Begging over. I apologise for my moment of… weirdness, however I have lost my little remaining pride so… xD. Thanks for reading.


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